Archetypes

WolfhillRPG · Jan 31, 2019

I just recently got into 5e coming from AD&D2e. When you reach 3rd level you get to pick a archetype which steers you down a more specific road. This seems to be very limiting from what I can tell. I've always liked playing a dwarf locksmith. by name he was a thief, but he was always played as a lawful good character who focused all his roguish skill into lock picking and the hobby of traps. Loves learning about them and how to disarm them. In 5e I cant play this character. It seems like 5e limits your choices and forces players into a predefined idea of what that character should turn out as.

Am I missing something?

Imaro · Jan 31, 2019

WolfhillRPG said:
I just recently got into 5e coming from AD&D2e. When you reach 3rd level you get to pick a archetype which steers you down a more specific road. This seems to be very limiting from what I can tell. I've always liked playing a dwarf locksmith. by name he was a thief, but he was always played as a lawful good character who focused all his roguish skill into lock picking and the hobby of traps. Loves learning about them and how to disarm them. In 5e I cant play this character. It seems like 5e limits your choices and forces players into a predefined idea of what that character should turn out as.

Am I missing something?

Why can't you play this character? A Rogue/Thief with expertise in Tools: Lockpicking & a LG alignment...

WolfhillRPG · Jan 31, 2019

You cant play this character because at level 3 you are forced to pick either a Thief/assassin/arcane trickster archetype. None of which are conducive to the character I described

Giltonio_Santos · Jan 31, 2019

I believe the thief archetype can work as the locksmith you want to play. Obviously, not each and every feature of the archetype will build upon your concept, but, unless your DM houseruled something specific for you, your 2e locksmith could still backstab enemies to their grave, right? That's not a very locksmithy thing to do...

akr71 · Jan 31, 2019

As stated above, taking the Rogue Thief archtype describes what you want perfectly. At level 1 take Expertise with Thieves Tools (for unlocking locks, disarming traps) and Investigation (for finding traps and figuring out how they work). The Fast Hands 3rd level ability allows you to use disarm a trap or open a lock as a Bonus Action.

Your alignment preference doesn't even factor into the equation.

Or pick up Xanathar's Guide to Everything and choose the Inquisitive archtype. At level 9 you get Advantage on those Investigation checks (hopefully still with Expertise).

WolfhillRPG · Jan 31, 2019

makes sense lads/ladies. I guess iam just coming from a time when you put % into the skills you wanted or used. never did backstab with that character. quarterstaffs were way more useful at triggering traps when they couldn't be disarmed

akr71 · Jan 31, 2019

True enough. In 5e, all your 'old' Thief skill are basically handled by your Thieves Tools, Investigation skill, Stealth skill or Acrobatics skill. Perception is pretty handy too, but that puts you investing heavily into Dex, Int & Wis.

I play a LG Thief with the Soldier background (which gave me Athletics skill proficiency). At level 6 you get Expertise again and I added Athletics and Acrobatics. For a STR 10 character he's mighty good at grappling and escaping grapples! Just food for thought for non-lethal options.

WhosDaDungeonMaster · Jan 31, 2019

I agree with the OP on archetypes. When I have been pondering different character builds, many times I examine the archetypes and usually my response is *meh*, not anything fits or is that appealing IMO. I know there are a lot of homebrew stuff, but most of it seems silly, OP, or just stupid.

As much as I like many facets of 5E, I catch myself glancing over at my 1E books a lot LOL!

Lapasta · Jan 31, 2019

One thing you can do for this character is either to multiclass him away from rogue after getting expertise to something that you find more fitting, or even to just skip the rogue class altogether, as you can get the thieves tools proficiency from another source.
Besides being good with locks and traps, what else was this character good at? More specifically, what he used to do while in combat? That can help you choose another class. In 5e you don’t need to be rogue to open locks.
Maybe go to Ranger and set some magical Snares?

Satyrn · Jan 31, 2019

WolfhillRPG said:
I just recently got into 5e coming from AD&D2e. When you reach 3rd level you get to pick a archetype which steers you down a more specific road. This seems to be very limiting from what I can tell. I've always liked playing a dwarf locksmith. by name he was a thief, but he was always played as a lawful good character who focused all his roguish skill into lock picking and the hobby of traps. Loves learning about them and how to disarm them. In 5e I cant play this character. It seems like 5e limits your choices and forces players into a predefined idea of what that character should turn out as.

Am I missing something?

I don't really get why playing a 2e thief worked for you, but a 5e thief doesn't. Like, I don't know what the specific objection it is that makes you think the 5e thief is and must be a thief.

But regardless of that, 5e provides many ways for you to play a locksmith/trapsmith. You can pick absolutely any class you want, fighter, ranger, wizard, whatever. Then grab whatever background looks like the best fit, flavor-wise, and swap out the skills for whatever you want and take Thieves' tools and tinker's tools instead of whatever languages/tools the background gives.

The backgrounds presented are simply examples and the Players Handbook tells you to customize them as you want.